A solid performer

I’ve just received mu Grizzly G0513×2 band saw. I’ve selected it for it’s price, the reviews I could read on LJ and of course the free shipping the Grizzly is offering right now.

Warning : please do not make the same mistake I did and call grizzly before you order your equipement because back order is pretty long.

The Band saw came 90% assembled in a cradle and most of the assembly work consists of clean/install the cast iron table, install the fence and then tune the band saw.

For the tuning, the wheels seem co-planar but since the frame of the saw extend past the wheels, it is pretty difficult to align a straightedge on the rim of the wheels.

I did not use the supplied saw blade (1/2”), instead I’ve purchased 3 timberwolf blades (1/4”, 3/4” and 1”). I’ve tuned the saw for the 1” blade but let me tell you that installing/removing a 1” stiff blade into the body and wheels of the machine is really difficult. Specifically around the blade cover.

ven when everything was tuned up : tracking, lower and upper ball bearings guides and tension, the blade wants to be on the right side of the table insert. I need to move the cast iron table from the trunnion to get the blade to align with the kerf on the table insert.

I will also shim the table insert for it is not flush with the table.

Now on the positive side, I found the machine very quiet, powerful and with good finish to it.

I will update this review in a couple of time to comment on the long term usability but I would definitively recommend this saw

Hope you find this helpful,

Pierre

UPDATE 6/11/2009:So I’ve been resawing q lot of Jatoba on this bandsaw (9” wide boards) with a Timberwolf 1” 3TPI blade. I’ve very happy with the saw being able to handle this type of jobs but I have found some issues:

Dust collection is not effective during resawing because you are obstructing the insert holes and all the DC is performed at the bottom of the saw.

I don’t like the metal parts surrounding the bottom guide bearing, it renders the blade change painful (especially for wide blades) and at any rate, that’s the job for the side bearings !

Getting a wide blade in/out of this saw is not trivial, partially because the blade is hidden very well, so it a plus/minus

I just received the same Band saw a few days ago….I am dying to put it together…been to darn busy to put it together so far. Thanks for the review…and heads up to the few problems you have had so far…I will know what to look for when I put mine together this weekend.